Flexible work request declined. Job share declined.

[Mumchatting]

Hi, I'm just looking for a bit of advise. My flexible work request has been declined. I work in an office for a retail company. I was full time prior to my maternity leave. Now I requested part time 2 or 3 days and proposed a job share of my role as I read that this works well in many offices.
I can't believe it was actually declined. And they want me to do 5 days a week without reducing hours.
They put few reasons - detrimental impact on the performance, on quality and burden of additional costs to recruit another part timer to job share with me.

I wasn't offered any reasonable alternative as they still expect me to do full time. I hoped for a compromise. At least if they offered 4 days a week! But I see they don't want to be flexible at all.

I see it as if the office jobs were only secured for full time people. And what about the work-family life balance philosophy? That is non existent if one works in an office?

I'm a bit upset. Should I appeal and is there any chance I could win my appeal?

Anyone in the same boat or with similar experience?

This happened to DH, he is now a sahd!

You have a right to apply for flexiable working hours they can also decline on the purposes of the bussiness..by going part time they would have to seek an additional employee. Thats advertising costs, training, additional holidays etc. When they could hire on main full timer.

That comes under the heading Tough... Would Have Been Nice, But...

Does anyone else in your role work part time?

I wanted to work part time, it wasn't possible - I am now a SAHM and much happier anyway.

They have to consider but they don't have to agree

There is actually no one working part time in my department! But then none of my colleagues is a mother!

I will really upset. I know they can decline. But they could come up with a compromise, with a solution somewhere in the middle. I would compromise too if I was offered an alternative!

I think some employers just have a default "no" stance on this & unfortunately the law facilitates that.

I think your best bet might be to agree to it, then do a flexible working request in 6 months which they will probably decline. And in the meantime look for something else p/t.

The fact there is no part timers says alot the conditions of the office are likely FT.

Just because your a mum doesn't entitle you to PT working hours.

Someone else might of wanted to reduce their hours due to health reasons and been refused.

Has anyone appealed in similar circumstances and what was the outcome of it?
An advice on writing an appeal would be appreciated.

Do you have a union? My previous boss was a pain about the details of my flexible working (it was OK in principle but he was being picky) and my union rep was great.

No union but thanks for your reply.

If no one else is part time, who were you planning to jobshare with?

Actually - I wouldn't even consider 4 days because (IME) all that happens is you do 5 days work for 4 days pay and get very stressed. (voice of bitter experience).

AND - your pension contributions are reduced too.

Can you condense? So if Ft is 9-5 with an hour lunch can you reduce lunch to 30m then leave early or add it all up and work a 5 hour day on one day?

I had a meeting with the hr person and my manager and worked out my return.

I'm afraid OP if they have followed their procedure and provided valid business reasons not to agree to part-time working there is little you can do. Also less likely as there are no precedents.

You'll either have to agree or leave. or get pg again immediately and maximise their inconvenience Cpl of weeks off for sickness, start mat at 29 weeks using accrued hols beforehand, resign so you don't have to return but make sure you get your full accrued holiday entitlement paid.

Would they consider a working from home compromise? It would mean you could either work v early and v late on those days and get some time with your child, use flexible childcare on those days so you can be at home with your DC whilst still working.

Is working from home an option at all?

Unfortunately OP it was your choice to have a child, and whilst your employer is required to consider flexible working requests, they are completely within their rights to decline if they can find reasonable arguments against said requests. Which, in this instance, they have.

You have to look at it from your employers perspective. Think of all the costs they would incur recruiting and training somebody new. Then think of the problems having a job share might yield - crossed wires, staff not knowing who they need to deal with and when, the possibility of work slipping under the radar through a lack of communication between two part time members of staff, sorting out annual leave between two members of staff doing the same job and who want the same time off, the possibility of other staff members using you as an example to try and get part time hours, etc. The possible problems are endless, tbh. I can totally understand why so many employers say no - it's a potential headache in the making.

I know it sucks from your end. But like I said further up, having a child is a choice. You're effectively asking your employer to upset a balance that currently works very well because of a choice you've made. Of course you're upset. It's understandable and unfortunate that so many women find themselves having to choose between their children and their careers. But it is a choice you will have to make: return to work full time or quit and find something else with part time hours.

It's a bit shit. Have some from me.

I just don't see what's the point of having the flexible work request policy. It probably works in some type of jobs but in some it's completely useless because the employer will decline for one of the reasons stated on government website. No one cares about the employee's perspective. It's all about the EMPLOYER and their rights and their perspective.

I currently work for an employer who considers all flexible working requests regardless of being a carer or not. It works well because there is willingness and scale and each team leader can balance their team. It is far more difficult if you only have one person doing a job.

Who's been covering your role during your maternity leave?

I appealed. But in my case (nhs) the managers clearly failed to follow the procedures correctly (didnt give a valid reason to deny the request, didn't reply within correct timeframe, didn't try and offer the additional hours to other staff - when I knew one part time colleague on the same band in the same department would have liked to increase their hours, etc) so I had a stronger case. Did you have a face to face meeting to discuss your request where you could come up with solutions to their problems? If not you could maybe appeal on that basis.

But when you took the job you took a full time role

It is not your employers fault that you decided to have children and that working full time doesn't suit you anymore

Having people work part time just doesn't suit some companies

I know your a retail office, but I've just left retail because it is so inflexible around my family. I would use the opportunity to look for a new part time job that fits around your family more. It sucks, but it's better than some peoples circumstances out there

Go back for a bit and look for a new job while you are in work.

Been there and felt very angry about it, but there is not much that can be done....things are getting better, but the rights are weighted towards the employer.

Look for another job ASAP, or look in Chat for a thread about working flexibly from home.